This Is How to Trick Yourself Into Being a Healthy Eater

Trying to eat healthy usually goes something like this: Wake up for work at 7 a.m., promise yourself you'll order a salad for lunch, wait until noon to order said salad, and order a burger at the last minute instead.

A new study published in the Journal of Marketing Researchknows you all too well. The researchers sought to figure out how to avoid that last-minute impulse burger, and their scientific answer basically involves a pre-planned Seamless order. The team, from Carnegie Melon University, analysed over 1000 takeout lunch orders, taking note of the time between ordering and picking up the food.

They found that those who waited until it was actually time to eat lunch ended up ordering calorie-packed dishes while those who planned ahead ate a healthier meal. The researchers recommend ordering a carry-out lunch hours before actually eating it or, the financially responsible option, preparing a meal at home in advance. Those who planned their meals out ahead of time were thought to be "taking advantage of the improved self-control that is thought to accompany decisions about the future," according to the study abstract.